Miss Deborah Smailes
School of Arts, Media and Creative Technologies
Current positions
Lecturer in Fashion Business & Marketing
Biography
With over two decades of experience in the global fashion industry, I am a fashion sustainability specialist, academic, and consultant with a background that spans design, technical development, and product management. After earning a B.A. (Hons) in Fashion Design from the University of Salford, I launched my own sustainable label, CGC Clothing, and have since worked with national and international brands across womenswear tailoring and sportswear product development.
My consultancy and workshop facilitation work includes collaborations with Nike, Oxfam, the Amsterdam Arts and Craft Centre, and Dutch streetwear brand Daily Paper. I regularly deliver talks on sustainable fashion practices for platforms such as the National Federation of Women's Institutes (UK) and ENJO (Germany) and have served as a business consultant and workshop facilitator for the Reebok Retrospective Exhibition at Bolton Library and Museum working across several educational establishments.
As an academic, I hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and a Postgraduate Research Degree (MPhil) focused on consumer attitudes toward sustainable garment consumption now working towards my PhD through publication. I have presented my research at numerous conferences, including the Celebration of Innovation, Education for Sustainable Development, and the Manchester Better Business Summit. My recent abstract, The Digital Passport: A Sustainability Journey in Ethical Fashion, has been accepted for the 93rd Textile Institute World Conference 2025.
Currently, I’m the Programme Lead for the MA Fashion Business and Marketing at the University of Salford, where I also have leadership duties in Admissions Lead, Outreach and a Research Ethics Reviewer. I write and lead modules on fashion sustainability, the circular economy, regenerative textiles, and legal governance in the fashion industry. I also lecture on the BA (Hons) Fashion Business and Promotion programme.
I played a key role in contributing to the Memorandum of Understanding that initiated the University of Salford’s partnership with ACS Clothing, a pioneering organisation in sustainable fashion and circular garment solutions
My academic contributions include lecturing roles in the UK, Amsterdam, and Vietnam, and I have led modules such as Ethics in Fashion at the Vogue College of Fashion Design, London. I am an external examiner for the Institute of Marangoni (London and Paris) and Middlesex University.
I have hosted and participated in public discourse on sustainable fashion, including panel discussions with Wayne Hemingway MBE and Patrick Grant for Manchester’s Lit & Phil Society, and as a podcast panellist for the ESRC’s Festival of Social Science on sustainable accounting in fast fashion. I also contributed to the planning of Green Business Solutions during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025 and was recently nominated for a Women’s Voice Award.
Areas of Research
Environmental and social innovation of sustainability
Cultures and practices of regenerative textiles
Consumer behaviour and perceptions of ethical clothing
Alternative business models, Circular economy / De-growth economy
Biophilic clothing design
As Programme Lead for the MA Fashion Business and Marketing degree at the University of Salford, I’m committed to delivering innovative, sustainability-focused fashion education that bridges academic theory with industry practice. My teaching portfolio spans modules on Fashion Sustainability, the circular economy, regenerative textiles, responsible management, and governing legislation in the fashion industry.
I also lecture on the BA (Hons) Fashion Business and Promotion course, where I lead on modules covering:
•Fixing Fashion: A Sustainable Future – exploring solutions to counteract destructive supply chain practices.
•Visual Merchandising and Brand Realisation – focused on brand creation, retailtainment, and consumer engagement.
•Work Placement and Live Industry Brief – supporting students through securing and thriving in internships.
•The Future of Shopping – a critical investigation into digital retail trends and the evolution of physical stores.
My commitment to student development is reflected in the programme’s consistent recognition: for three consecutive years, students have been nominated for the University’s CREATE Award, with one MA student winning for a sustainable clothing business initiative.
I actively lead outreach projects that connect students with real-world impact, including collaborations with ACS Clothing, a pioneer in circular fashion systems, and events with Manchester Fashion Movement and Shelter, using fashion as a platform for social and environmental change.
Through my teaching philosophy rooted in sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity, I aim to empower students to become responsible leaders in the fashion industry equipped with the knowledge, creativity, and ethical awareness to shape a better future.
Qualifications
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MPhil Sustainable Fashion, Marketing and Management
2023 - 2025 -
Post Graduate Diploma in Education
2010 - 2011 -
BA (Hons) Fashion Design
2001 - 2004